The Power Within Us (unedited)

Chapter 16

“I’m sorry.”

“I had no other place to go.”

“You were right,”She hugged him. “Thank you for standing up for me.”

He froze then melted at her touch.

“I’m a horrible horrible person.”

“No, no you're not.” He said pulling apart from the hug.

“Here come inside you’ll catch your death out here.”

“Mira you were right too I let them egg me on and I said some horrible things to you.” He said wiping her tears, then whispered
“I’m so sorry for treating you like crap.”

“C'mon do you want something to drink? I can make hot cocoa.” He gestured to the kitchen.

“That would be nice, thank you.”

“So did you ever find out more about your real family?”

“Seems like the more I dig the worse it gets.”

I sit on one of the chairs next to his kitchen island.

“I talked to my adopted father, he warned me to trust no one but it's too much to handle alone.”

He gently placed his hand over my knee, “you're not alone. You can trust me.”

And she told him everything from who she really was to her leeching alcohol-addicted adoptive mother. She let it all out and cried in his arms as he consoled her and for the first time in a long time she felt free and safe.

“Oh Mira I’m sorry that this has happened to you.”

“It’s not your fault.” she said, setting down her hot coco.

“How about this? Since the weather is not looking so great, why don’t you crash here tonight.”

“I hate the thought of you driving home right now, I’ve got a guest bedroom you can use  and if you need any clothes I can lend you some of mine.”

“Really? Thank you!”

He showed her his guest room, it was a medium sized room with cosy furniture.He left to get her some clothes and she closed the bathroom door. It was only her third time here but she noticed his home was very structured and very orderly - surprisingly for a bad boy who could beat people into a bloody pulp. The bathroom itself was very lavish and almost like the ones you would find at a hotel.

She looked in the mirror, though she looked rough she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

She washed her makeup off and took a nice hot shower. 

When she got out, she noticed a pile of clean clothes on the bed and the door closed.

Gosh what did she do to deserve a friend like this. He was just so nice to her, she was going to have to make it up to him someday.

She opened the door 

"I just wanted to know if you have eaten dinner so we could watch a movie."

"Yeah sure, let's watch a movie."

"Great! You pick, I’m going to make some popcorn."

"So what are we watching?"

"It's a chick flick about best friends falling in love." 

“This isn’t weird right?” She raised an eyebrow. “I mean since it's valentine's day.”

He bit his lips, “Not at all.”  

The movie started and he sat down placing the popcorn on the center table. She snuggled close and leaned her head on his shoulder. His heart raced a little but wrapped his arm around her.

Half way through the movie the lights flickered and the power went out.

“Oh no."